The Essential Elements for Building a World

Roleplaying games and fantasy fiction are filled with rich and fascinating worlds: the Forgotten Realms, Glorantha, Narnia, R’lyeh, Middle-Earth, Barsoom, and so many more. It took startling leaps of imagination as well as careful thought and planning to create places like these: places that readers and players want to come back to again and again.

Now, eleven of adventure gaming’s top designers come together to share their insights into building worlds that gamers will never forget. Learn the secrets of designing a pantheon, creating a setting that provokes conflict, determining which historical details are necessary, and so much more. Even take that creative leap—and create dazzling worlds of your own!

“While the book is aimed at the RPG crowd, a huge percentage of the material would be just as valuable to an author writing a novel set in an original world. . . . For anyone who’s ever had the drive to create a fictional place . . . The Kobold Guide to Worldbuilding will spark some new ideas and help you add the proper doses of verisimilitude and outlandishness.”

—Ed Grabianowski, i09

“Class is in session . . . The Kobold Guide to Worldbuilding SHOULD be considered a textbook on intelligent setting creation.”

—Dave Hinojosa, The Gaming Gang

“Should be a must read for anyone who has played the game for a few years and is ready to delve into the craft of world building in a serious way. I wish I had this book 15 years ago. “While there are larger, more complete, surveys of demography and climatic issues, I have never seen such an effective survey of the topics that really matter, and make the difference, in delivering a quality game world to your players.” — Paizo Review by Ayronis

Praise for Prior Design Guides

“Highly recommended for gaming nerds everywhere.”

—CityBookReview.com

“If you’re an aspiring pro this book is a must. If you’re a rules hacker like me, this stuff is solid gold.”

—Berin Kinsman, UncleBear Media

“A fantastic collection . . . a solid 5 star rating.”

— Joshua Gullion, AdventureAWeek.com

“An amazing collection — from some of the best designers and writers creating role-playing game material today.”